


White Shrike (Take Flight)

by SparkleMoose



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Basically All The Nox Fleuret's Have Some Degree of Magic, Blood and Violence, Do Not Fuck With The White Mage, FOR REAL REAL SE WHY YOU SUCK AT UR OWN CANON SO BAD, Fair Warning: I took the concept of Oracle Powers and ran away with it, Fivesome - M/M/M/M/M, M/M, Magic, Magical Bond, Magical Realism, Mentions of Previous Attempted Murder, Mentions of Previous Sex Work, Morally Ambiguous Character, Murder, Oracles Are Badass, Past Child Abuse, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory, Protective Siblings, Sibling Bonding, WELL TOUGH SHIT IM TAKING A JACKHAMMER AND RIPPING CANON APART TO BUILD MY OWN SHIT, When You Think About It White Mage Debuffs are Terrifying, mentions of noncon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-08-24 00:46:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16629665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparkleMoose/pseuds/SparkleMoose
Summary: Astra, an unknown thief, illegal ring fighter, and college student, was not prepared to be thrown into a fantasy land with his cat.He was less prepared to wind up in a war zone or to save the life of a man he didn't even know.Needless to say, Astra was extremely unprepared to meet his sister and find out he's the long-lost prince of whatever land.Astra would like a refund on his life and he'd like it now.





	1. from eden

If there is one thing Astra is not known for it is his good decision making. Which, in all honesty, is likely why he is following his wayward cat down an alleyway in a shady part of town while clutching his head as indistinct images flood his head. There's a city burning, he thinks leaning against the wall of the alley as his vision blurs. A city burning and a king dying and millions of people lost and homeless.   
  
Astra groans, tugging on his hair in an effort to stall the images clouding his mind.   
__  
A fight between King and General. A fight between royal and traitor. The General cuts through the air and something - a ring? - goes flying.   
  
Someone - unworthy, unworthy, voices in his head chant- picks the ring up. They put it on.   
  
And they  burn.   
  
Astra stumbles forward, dry heaving as the smell of burning flesh penetrates the air around him. Wiping his mouth of excess spit, he raises his eyes to see his cat, his stupid fucking cat, staring at him.   
  
Binky's bright blue eyes glow as white as her coat before she meows and the world falls out from underneath Astra's feet.   
  
The world goes black. It's not the sweet embrace that comes with unconsciousness, not the bliss of sleep either. Rather it's as though the world around him seemed to shut the lets off, as though it's had enough of everything and faded away; leaving nothing but darkness and Binky in its wake.   
  
_ DAWN-ORACLE, STAR PRINCE, SON OF LIGHT- _ __  
__  
_ -sonoflightoflightoflight- _ __  
__  
_ BLOOD OF MY BLOOD, SON OF MY SONS- _ __  
__  
_ HELP US. _ __  
__  
_ -HELPUSHELPUSHELPUS- _   
  
The voices clamour for his attention, demanding that he help them, demanding that he aid the Chosen, aid the Oracle of Light and their companions. Hundreds of voice echo in his head, demanding he helps.   
  
Demanding he come home.   
  
Astra squeezes his eyes shut, erasing the image of his stupid fucking cat from his mind as he tries valiantly to ignore the voices taking space in his head.   
  
"Shut up," he begs, "Shut up."   
  
The voices, the pleas, only get louder at his begging.   
__  
_ HELP US, DAWN-CHOSEN, STAR-TOUCHED, WALKER OF WORLDS. _ __  
__  
__ HELP US.   
  
Images of rotting corpses fill his mind, scenes of rot and gore and misery embed themselves in his head. Astra can smell rot, can hear the screams of the dying and laughter of daemons. He opens his eyes to find the darkness replaced by night, by the carnage of corpses around him. Laughter sounds from behind him and Astra turns to find a man that isn't a man.   
  
A man with golden iris and the whites of his eyes dyed black, a man with wine hair and ashen skin.   
  
A man who tilts his head at Astra and sees through him.   
  
"Who," The man asks, "Do we have here?"   
  
Astra's mouth is dry with panic.   
  
He doesn't answer.   
  
"I suppose it doesn't matter," the man continues, "But I simply can't have another of the Light-Blessed interfering."   
  
Darkness surges around the man and rushes toward Astra.   
  
Astra screams.   
  
Light explodes from his body and Astra falls.

 

* * *

  
  
Astra jerks awake, eyes wide and breathing uneven as he stares at the unfamiliar area around him. He lays on a stone floor, staring up at a black ceiling that wouldn't be out of place in a cathedral. Taking in a shaky breath, Astra rolls onto his front and pushes himself up onto his knees, eyes darting around the room and freezing when the clashing of steel finally reaches his ears. Frozen in spot, Astra takes in the sight of three men engaged in swordplay. He'd call it ridiculous but-

_ A king with a sword driven through his chest- _ __  
__  
_ "Walk tall, my son." _   
  
Gasping, Astra clutches his head once again and staggers to his feet. Stumbling toward what he hopes is an exit.   
  
In front of him, Binky meows; high pitched and whining, the cat takes off. Dodging through the legs of those fighting causing the large armoured man to stumble and almost step on Binky.   
  
The armoured man grunts in agitation as Binky flees down the all before turning his attention back to the two men who used the advantage of the other man's distraction to launch a joint attack.   
  
Then a man - the king Astra saw in his vision - reaches out and lightning flows, fully formed and sparking from his fingertips as it launches itself through the air and at the armoured man.   
  
Now, more than ever, Astra is certain that the man in armour, the man that reeks of night and rot is someone to be wary of, someone that wouldn't hesitate to kill Astra if Astra got in his way.   
  
The lightning from the king blinds the armoured man for a second and the robed man rushes the man in armour only to be thrown like a rag doll against the wall. Astra watches as the man in robes lands with a thud against the wall and winces as the doctor in him takes over and diagnoses the crack he heard as the man's C3 breaking.   
  
_ Concussion, _ his mind supplies as Astra winces,  _ Broken C3, internal bruising- _   
  
His train of thought is cut off when the man's sword impales him, pinning him to the wall. Astra is moving before giving it any thought. He moves toward the man as though his feet have a mind of their own.   
  
Astra is many things, a liar, a thief, a cheater and ring fighter but there is one thing he is not.   
  
Astra isn't someone who can stand by and merely watch as someone bleeds out. Perhaps someone else would have tried to run, to flee the scene of the fight. It would be the smart thing to do, Astra reflects reaching out and grabbing the hilt of the man's sword.   
  
He's never claimed to be smart. Astra pulls out the sword in one swift movement and catches the man as he falls forward. He pays no mind to the blood staining his white shirt and moves the man to a sitting position while the doctor part of his mind goes spews more information at him.   
  
_ Internal bleeding _ , his mind chants, __ Internal bleeding, ruptured organs, dying-   
  
  
Astra vaguely notes another presence in the room, a presence that the energy, the magic he supposes in him urges him to find. 

_Brother,_ his magic calls out, _Brother come to me._  
  
Astra ignores it in favour of pulling that light forward. Pressing his hands against the robed man's chest he feels faint breathing. A good sign, all things considered, since Astra can't bring people back from the dead. The magic, the light that he wields is like a hearth, warm and inviting, healing and dangerous in turns. He will be the first to admit that he doesn't use this magic as often as a part of him would like.  
  
But he can't let the man in front of him die.  
  
Astra calls the light to his hands, warmth encasing his entire being as he slowly repairs the injuries his patient has sustained. He starts with the gut wound, with stopping the bleeding and internal injuries and then closing the wound. Next, he moves to the broken C3, healing it completely and restoring the man's range of motion and his ability to breathe without a ventilator, as well as the other things that one loses with such a break.  
  
With one final surge of strength, Astra heals the concussion the man suffered as well as the internal bruising. Astra's hands fall to his side, numb and limp as Astra pants to catch his breath.  
  
Finally, the panic of the moment comes back to him and he remembers exactly what's happening.  
  
"Fuck," Astra curses, forcing himself to his feet, "God fucking damn it." His eyes dart around the room, looking for Binky before they settle on the fight in front of him.  
  
The King has been backed into a corner, is fighting back exhaustion and despite his magic being almost depleted Astra can feel how the King's magic is waning. How the other man's joints ache with a sharp, stabbing pain and Astra looks to the sword on the ground.  
  
He moves towards it only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Astra tilts his head to find the man that he healed up and standing.  
  
Astra blinks as the man nods to him, picks up the sword still stained with the man's own blood, and joins the battle again.  
  
Astra barely has time to process it before a different voice calls out.  
  
"Astra?" a masculine voice says, startling Astra. "No, no, it cannot be-" The voice stops abruptly as Astra spins on his heels, staring wide-eyed at the man who looks as though he could be Astra's brother.  
  
They have the same white hair and one of the man's heterochromatic eyes are the same white-blue that Astra's are. There is a family resemblance there that Astra doesn't want to think too hard about and yet-  
  
Astra's magic all but purrs in contentment as the man takes a step forward.  
  
Astra takes a step back.  
  
"Who the fuck are you?" Astra says, "Where the fuck am I?"  
  
The man stops. Hand extended as though he was going to reach for Astra. The sight brings an unnamed emotion to his chest.  
  
Astra ignores it. Slowly making his way toward the exit where he saw Binky disappear without taking his eyes off the man in front of him.  
  
"Brother," the man says voice demanding and pleading at the same time.  
  
An unfamiliar yet soothing magic invades Astra's senses, as the man speaks again. "Brother, come to me."  
  
"Who the hell are you calling brother?" Astra asks, unable to deny the hysteric edge to his voice as he pulls is own magic roughly away from the magic that had been soothing it, "Who the hell are you?"  
  
There's a flash of hurt, of vulnerability on the other man's face and he takes another step forward.  
  
Astra takes a step back, his legs shaking from exhaustion and fear as he eyes the man that called him brother.  
  
As he eyes, the man that he could almost believe is his brother. A part of Astra had always wanted a family, a true family, one who would laugh with him and smile with such joy it would hurt to look at them. But that part of Astra had always wanted a home as well, a place where he felt safe, secure in the knowledge that nothing would hurt him because he was home.  
  
Astra has neither. He doesn't see why that would change now. He doesn't trust the man's words no matter how much his magic wants to latch onto the man and claim him.  
  
A pained cry shatters through the air around them and Astra turns, ready to pull on the last of the light in his body to help whoever needs it. Astra sees the King clutching his hand only for a moment as the robed man engages their enemy and something flies toward him.  
  
On reflex, Astra catches it, at the same moment, two other figures burst through the door.  
  
Astra barely has time to blink before there's a flash of blue and yet another person joins the fray against the armoured man. Astra has never felt more useless than in that moment, standing dumbstruck as magic, _magic,_ is used and the odds shift.  
  
Shoving his building panic to the back of his mind, his eyes dart back to the entrance where a woman stands. A woman with blonde hair and blue eyes and the similar soft features Astra has.  
  
A woman that looks like she could be related to him.  
  
If this one knows my name too, Astra thinks, I quit.  
  
A loud meow at his feet garners his attention.  
  
"Fuck you," Astra says without looking down to confirm that it's his cat, "Fuck you, Binky."  
  
Binky meows again and darts toward the woman.  
  
Astra shoves whatever he caught in his hand into his pocket and follows his cat.  


"Do you know a way out of here?" he asks.   
  
"We have to help them!" The woman says, seemingly aghast at Astra's urge to flee.   
  
"I have helped them," Astra says, protesting, "I healed the one in robes! He would be dead if I hadn't done something."   
  
"Luna," a voice calls from the fray, "Go."   
  
Luna hesitates.   
  
Her eyes land on the man that Astra had been talking to earlier.   
  
"Is there anything else you can do?" Luna asks, her voice serious.   
  
Astra considers. "Degeneration," he says, "Do you know what the armour is made of?"   
  
"Do not interfere," the man from before calls, voice snarling.   
  
Astra hears footsteps come closer and wastes no time in putting all his strength behind into a punch as he turns in one fluid movement and hits the man in the face.   
  
He sails backward several feet and lands on his arm.   
  
Astra winces as he hears bones crack. Behind him, Luna gasps.   
  
Astra turns to face her again and schools his face into an impassive mask. "Well?"   
  
"Titanium nanites," Luna says, "But what do you plan-"   
  
Astra holds up a finger to silence her. "Sh," he says, gathering energy from the world around him. He’s good for this at least. He glows for a moment, light coming from him bright and blinding. He focuses on the man, can see how he can transform the nanites. But there's something else, something dark and foreboding that strengthens the man.   
  
Astra focuses on it, buries it in light until it's gone. The man turns his attention to Astra and rushes toward him. Astra blinks, eyes white and shining as he forces chlorine and carbon into the titanium that forms the man's armour.   
  
The man doesn't falter even as Astra trembles, the amount of magic he's used in a day taking its toll on him. He blinks once more and changes the reaction in the man's armour again, reducing the titanium tetrachloride into titanium chloride.   
  
Astra stumbles forward, Luna catching him before he hits the ground.   
  
The man in black, the one who arrived with Luna shoots a bolt of lightning at the armoured man, causing the man's arm guards, part of a once thought to be impenetrable armour, to shatter.   
  
The armour doesn't reform.   
  
Astra doesn't have time to celebrate that victory before the King is once again yelling at them to leave.   
  
Luna steadies him, grabs his hand and they run.

* * *

 

Astra finds himself following the girl from before, Luna if he recalls her name correctly, through the streets of a burning city. In the distance he can hear people screaming, can hear their sobs as everything they know is taken from him and it hurts his chest to know that he can't do anything about it.   
  
Astra is a thief, a criminal.   
  
That doesn't mean he doesn't feel his heart wrenching in his chest in the face of such human tragedy. Astra wants to help, he does, but he's always been selfish, always wanted something better for himself.   
  
Always wanted to live.   
  
Those are the reasons he finds himself following Luna through ruin and rubble, those are the reasons that when he doesn't stop to look for people trapped or wounded. He knows that he wouldn't be able to stop himself from helping them without guilt distracting him from escaping the city. And in situations like this, even a minor distraction can be deadly.

Astra blinks, as his vision blurs for a second and he stumbles. The amount of magic he’s used in one day taking its toll on him.

His head spins and he fights down the urge to vomit.

“Shit,” he mutters, even as he can feel a pair of delicate hands steadying him.

“You used too much magic,” Luna says, her tone worried, “It’s a miracle you’re still standing.”

Astra grunts, forcing himself to take a step forward. “I’ve had worse,” he says dryly, feeling Luna’s eyes on him.

“I am sorry,” she says, “For whatever you’ve had to go through.”

Astra turns to face her and gives her a wry grin. “Little Lady, don’t be sorry for things you don’t know about.”

Luna looks like she’s about to say something when someone interrupts them.

“Well, well,” a man’s voice says, “Who do we have here?” 

Astra spins around, putting himself in between Luna and the man despite the fact that he knows he shouldn’t. He knows that if he uses any more magic he’s going to collapse and be more than useless.

Astra knows this, which is why he analyzes the man, takes in the man’s lean frame and smug smirk. The man is overconfident, Astra thinks reflexively falling into a fighting stance despite the gun in the man’s hand.

“Luna,” Astra says, knowing that he’s about to do something stupid, “Go.”

What Luna does next surprises Astra.

“No,” she says, her voice steel as she steps up in front of  Astra, “I lost you once, I will not lose you again.” And there’s a lot to unpack there, a  lot that Astra wants to demand answers to but he doesn’t because now is not the time.

“Sorry, to interrupt,” the man says, “But I’ve orders to kill the Princess here.” 

No, Astra thinks and is startled at the possessive note it takes, I won’t let you.

“No,” Astra says, giving the man a feral grin, “I’m not going to let you do that.”

Before he can act before he can throw caution to the wind and tackle the man Luna glows.

“Rot,” she says, voice echoing despite the chaos around them.

The hand holding the man’s gun rots away to reveal bone. Astra watches for a moment as the rot takes eyes, as the man falls to the ground screaming.

Astra has done the same thing once, had been cornered and terrified and lashed out with everything he had. Astra had caused a still living man to rot until there was nothing but bone left and he had been abandoned for it.

Astra does not leave Luna. Instead, as she stops glowing and stumbles, Astra wraps his arm around her waist to steady her and leads her away from the rotting man.

There is no need to stay where they were.

Binky shows up, and the two follow him.

* * *

 

The two of them stumble through the ruins, following Binky as the cat leads them to what is hopefully an exit.

Instead, Binky leads them to a group of people and Astra is immediately wary. He remembers the last encounter they had with someone and his body tenses, ready to spring into action should the need call for it.

His suspicion must show on his face because Luna places a hand on his shoulder.

“They’re friends,” Luna reassures them as the tallest of the group turns toward them.

“Luna,” the man greets. His steel blue eyes narrowing at the sight of Astra with her, “Who is this?”

“This is Astra,” Luna says, her voice gentle but brokering no questions, “May we accompany you? It seems The Messenger led us to you for a reason.”

Astra looks at the group, takes in the sight of an old man with a bloodied cane and two children, one who can’t be more than ten and the other who seems to be fifteen, before he turns his attention back to the man who spoke.

The man is attractive, that much Astra can admit, with steel blue eyes and cropped brown hair. He looks to be in his mid-forties and carries himself with a confidence that tells Astra he knows how to wield the katana he’s carrying.

Astra can’t help but wonder what’s with these people and their swords.

The man considers for a moment before he nods.

“Follow us,” he says.

And they do.


	2. who could ask to be unbroken or brave again?

The flight from Insomnia is tiring and that’s with the car that Astra had managed to hotwire. Luna had been scandalized when Astra had spotted the car and suggested taking it but with Cor on his side and the fact they had to leave the city right away before they all died Luna had seen the need to steal the car.

Later, when they were as safe as they could be Luna confided that she was more scandalized that he knew how to hotwire a car rather than the fact that he did so.

“You’re my little brother,” she confessed to him, “I don’t like the idea of you knowing how to do things like that.”

“You wouldn’t like a lot of things about me then,” Astra muttered, shaking his head and giving Luna a crooked grin, “It saved us though, so I’m sure my knowledge could come in handy wherever you’re going.”

Luna’s light dims for moment before it brightens again. “Astra,” her voice is soft as she looks at him like she’s afraid and grateful all at once, “Brother, I’m afraid you can’t come with me.”

Astra bristles. “Why? I can’t just let you go by yourself!”

“You barely know this world,” Luna says, “When the time comes we will meet again, but until that day- until that day I need to know that you are safe.”

“Sister-” Astra tries, “Sister I can help.”

“I know you can,” Luna’s smile is sad, “But this I must do on my own.”

Astra doesn’t like the thought of leaving Luna alone, doesn’t like the thought of losing the one person in this world who has been kind to him thus far, who has explained things and told him what he was. He doesn’t like the thought of leaving his sister to face whatever dangers there are in the future by herself. Still, by the look in Luna’s eyes, Astra knows he can’t stop her.

“Be safe,” he tells her as she leaves, dressed in a ragged grey hoodie and torn jeans.

“You as well,” Luna says, “Be safe, be strong.”

* * *

That night Astra dreams.

Luna, the man with wine red hair again, a knife and-

_Blood, God, so much blood._

* * *

Astra is ninety percent sure he’s going to kill someone before the day is done. He doesn’t want to of course, but the fact of the matter is that he’s in an unknown world where people can summon swords and armor out of thin air and he has no idea what he is going to do next.

The first thing Astra learned after his adoptive parents abandoned him is that there are times you have to do things you don’t want to. If Astra has to kill a man to survive he’ll do it. He’ll feel bad, but he’ll make sure that they stay dead.

Oddly enough, it appears he won’t have to do the dirty work this time around if the man - Cor, Astra corrects himself, the man’s name is Cor- staring at him has anything to say about it.

“Let me get this straight,” Astra says, ignoring the meow that comes from Binky, “You want me to heal people? You want me to heal people and ask for nothing in return?”

“Here I thought those of the Oracle’s line were supposed to be selfless,” Cor remarks dryly.

“Listen, buddy.” Astra ignores how Cor twitches. “I still don’t even know what an Oracle is or what I’m doing here and now you’re telling me I have to go around healing people for free so Luna and your Prince can save the world. And lemme tell you something, I have no desire to do so.”

Cor raises an eyebrow, thoroughly unimpressed. “So you’d rather have the full force of the Imperial Army on the tracks of your sister.”

“I didn’t even know she was my sister until yesterday!”

“Be as that may, you still have a duty.”

“What duty?!” Astra snarls, “My fucking cat brought me here against my fucking will! I have no obligation to heal your people or do anything else for you. You’re lucky I’m even here listening to this bullshit.”

Cor studies him for a moment. Cor’s ice blue eyes scanning Astra’s exhausted form, taking in the bloodstained clothes and exhaustion lining Astra’s features. Cor can understand that Astra is overwhelmed, having been dragged from a world he thought his own according to Astra himself and Luna and into this world must have been taxing. Having healed Clarus and spent an untold amount of energy helping Luna heal the scraps and bruises of the refugees at Hammerhead must have taken its toll on the young man.

Still, Astra reminds Cor of Ravus; selfish and uncaring of anything but survival.

Cor decides that he doesn’t like Astra.

Just because Cor doesn’t like Astra doesn’t mean that he can leave one of the Oracles line, a Prince of Tenebrae, by himself.

“Let me put it this way,” Cor says, “If you don’t heal those we come across then the likelihood of your sister being found and accosted by the Imperial Army is almost certain. If we spread rumors that there are pale-haired healers wandering about then we minimize that risk.”

“Why do they even want Luna?”

“She’s a direct link to the Astrals. More than that though, she’s a symbol of peace, of hope that one day the daemons will vanish.”

Cor watches as Astra curses. “So my supposed sister-” Cor knows that Astra is only denying his and Luna’s relation for appearances sake. He had seen how the two interact, how Astra seemed to genuinely be worried when Luna left with the Ring on her own. “-Is basically used as a piece of propaganda by the nation you’ve been at war with for decades.”

“Yes.”

Astra swears, and Cor knows he got him.

“Fine,” Astra says, “I’ll follow you and heal whoever needs it in our wake. But call me prince of anything ever again and I will rot the flesh from your bones.”

“Noted.”

* * *

Astra is too busy to notice when a stupidly fancy car pulls up to the Outpost Cor had left him at. Citing the need to check on something for Insomnia’s Prince, and really that made Astra wonder how many prince’s there were on this world, Cor had left Astra to heal those who were injured or infected with the Scourge.

The Scourge, Astra has since learned, is a disease that causes a person to slowly waste away until they die. At least, that’s what he had been told, Astra can’t help but think of the way the Scourge feels familiar. As though he’s encountered it before. Cor had told him that daemon’s are the main carriers of the Scourge.

Astra thinks of the man he had met before coming here; thinks of the dark sludge dripping from his mouth and eyes. Thinks about how the man had screamed taint and darkness to Astra’s very soul and can’t help but think that there’s more to the Scourge than what people know.

Still, Astra can heal those who infected with it. Can help those who suffer and wilt from the taint in them. More than that, Cor has assured him that healing people will buy Luna enough time to do whatever it is she has to do.

Astra knows how to use rumor’s and people’s biases against them. It’s one thing that life on the streets had taught him. So he knows what people will do for a glimmer of hope, of light. And while Astra himself is not terribly invested in the war going on or who wins he’s invested in Luna.

Luna who was kind to him. Who killed a man for Astra. Luna who has earned Astra’s trust.

Luna who is his sister, according to her and Cor.

So no, Astra doesn’t care about the war, doesn’t care about the fate of the world so much as he cares about one person who is tied to that fate. That is what motivates him to heal, that is why although he knows that Cor is using him, supposedly for the ‘greater good’, Astra lets him do it. Because in the end it helps Luna.

And Luna has earned Astra’s trust.

So Astra heals.

It’s when Astra is working on the last of his patients, when his hands are awash with gold light that burns away illness and wounds that a voice Astra doesn’t recognize interrupts Astra as he’s about to tell the man he was healing to take it easy.

“What the hell?” An enraged voice makes itself known, “What the hell is this?”

Astra scowls, turning his pleasant smile toward his patient into something fierce and frightening as he turns to address the man who had spoke.

“This,” Astra stresses, “Is my makeshift healing tent, now since by looking at you I can tell you’re neither injured nor ill I suggest you leave.”

The man who spoke, a black haired young man who seemed to be around Astra’s age bristles at Astra’s response. Before he can speak though, a man with brown-blonde hair steps in and tries to diffuse the situation.

“What my friend means is that we were not aware there were any healers outside of the Oracle’s line.”

“There aren’t any that I know of,” Astra says dryly, turning his back on them to address the man he healed who is now staring between Astra and the newcomers like he’s not sure whether to flee or bow. “I suggest resting for the next few days and then slowly upping your physical activity, just try not to go into any caves or outside at night, a’right?”

The man nods and stands. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

“I told you lot not to call me that.”

“The least we can do for all you’ve done for us is show proper respect.”

Astra grimaces. “Can I do anything to dissuade you?”

The man grins at Astra before leaving. “‘Friad not.”

Astra resists the urge to stick his tongue out at the man’s retreating back and sincerely wishes that he Binky would show up so Astra could rant at his cat for a good hour or two. But Binky is, well, Binky and Binky does what he wants and goes where he pleases.

“Your Highness, huh?” Comes the question that causes Astra to turn his attention back to the group of men behind him.

“Sadly,” Astra says, baring his teeth, “What’s it to you?”

The man who spoke, larger than Astra will ever be and with far more muscle, cross his arms. “I don’t know of any Prince’s that can heal.”

Astra rolls his eyes. “I gave you enough clues,” he says, “Figure out who I am by yourself. Or go and ask Cor or Monica, I don’t care.”

There’s silence between the five of them for a moment. The black haired man studying Astra’s face closely enough that Astra gets to watch as the dawn of realization rises up on him.

“You’re Luna’s brother,” the man says.

“That’s what she told me,” Astra says dryly.

“That’s impossible,” the man with glasses says, “The lost prince of Tenebrae is supposed to be just that, lost.”

“Yeah,” begins a sunshine blonde, “But like, we just saw him heal. Who else could he be?”

“If there’s one thing the past few days have taught me it’s that anything is possible.” Astra stares the bespectacled man in the eyes and decides that he doesn’t like the calculating look in the others eyes. “If that’s all you wanted to say,” Astra continues, “Then I’m going to leave.”

As he turns on his heel and walks away from the makeshift medical tent the Hunter’s had set up for Astra he hears someone call out his name. That causes Astra to pause long enough for the man with black hair to catch up to him.

“You know my name.” It’s not a question.

“Yeah,” the man says, “Luna and Ravus they- they used to talk about you. They missed you.”

“Hard to miss someone you barely know,” Astra says, “As I hear it I was a baby when I was taken.”

“So?” the other man says, “That doesn’t mean they couldn’t have missed you. You’re their family.”

“Hard to miss someone you don’t know.”

“But they did know you!” The man seems to be getting frustrated now and Astra can’t help but wonder why. “They held you and played with you. They loved you!”

Astra thinks back to the life he’s lived.

It’s hard to believe that anyone could miss him.

“They loved who I could have been. Who I turned out to be is far different.”

“And yet you still protect Luna,” Cor’s voice enters the conversation, causing both the black haired man and Astra to turn toward him. “Astra.”

“Cor,” Astra returns, just as dry as Cor’s use of his name had been.

Cor shifts his gaze over to the man Astra had run into.

“Highness,” Cor says, “If you and the others could follow me. There’s something I must show you.”

“That’s my cue to leave,” Astra says, managing to hide his surprise that the newcomer - Noctis - is the prince of the nation he’s currently in.

“No,” Cor says, dashing all Astra’s hopes of not getting involved in anything else with one word, “You should come with us.”

“What? Why?” Astra demands, “Isn’t it enough that I’m healing those in need? That I’m diverting attention off Luna just as you asked?”

“I want to test something.”

“I don’t suppose that you’re going to tell us what you want to test?” Noctis’ voice comes dryly.

A small smirk tugs Cor’s mouth. “Not yet.”

* * *

Astra decides, as he dodges a missle from a mech and steals the gun from one of the weird robots he’s fighting, that he’s going to kill Cor.

That is, if he doesn’t wind up dead by robotic army first.

Thinking quickly, Astra shoots stays on the edge of the battle, firing off shots when he’s able and cautiously using his magic to weaken armor so that the fuckers fighting with swords have a better chance of surviving.

Needless to say, Astra still wonders why Prompto and him are the only ones with enough fucking sense to bring guns to a gunfight.

The men that he met at the Prairie Outpost had introduced themselves as they, along with Astra, had followed Cor up to a Royal Tomb where Noctis was given the news that the King was most likely dead.

And then proceeded to get stabbed in the chest by a ghostly sword and wind up being fine after.

Astra is really beginning to wonder if the laws of physics apply to anything in this world at all.

“Alright,” Astra says, picking up ammo dropped by the robots, the MTs that they were fighting, as the group watches the last mech explode, “What now?”

“You go with Noctis and his retinue to Keycatrich Trench,” Cor says as though Astra has already agreed to go, “I have things to take care of, and I’d rest easier knowing they had a healer with them.”

Astra huffs and crosses his arms. “And I guess I don’t really have a choice but to go with them, huh?”

“I can’t take you with me.” Cor says bluntly.

Astra’s eyes narrow, before he can say anything however, Prompto speaks.

“It’d be good to have a healer around, right guys? In case we get banged up.”

“Prompto’s right,” Gladio agrees, “Prince or not, Astra can be of use.”

“Glad to know I’m not useless.” Astra says dryly.

“Then it’s settled,” Cor says, “Head back to the Outpost when you’re done, I’ll have Monica there waiting.”

As they watch Cor leave, Astra can’t stop the snort that leaves him.

“Cryptic asshole isn’t he?”

Noctis coughs out a laugh. “Yeah,” he says, “That’s Cor.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so...ep ardyn really did that....really gave me my fallen messiah feels.....really gave me more info on the nox fleurets without giving me more info on their abilities.....really did that huh....  
> canon has been torn apart for juicy bits to make fic with. pls standby.
> 
> anyway, have a chapter, sorry for not updating sooner but i keep terrible track of time because time makes no sense to me.

**Author's Note:**

> DO NOT FUCK WITH THE WHITE MAGE.
> 
> IT IS A BAD IDEA.
> 
> anyway. *ahem* here, have a morally gray Oracle that would like nothing to do with any of this thanks.


End file.
